Josie Lawrence
Josie Lawrence | |
---|---|
Born | Wendy Lawrence 6 June 1959 Old Hill, Staffordshire, England |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1979–present |
Josie Lawrence (born Wendy Lawrence; 6 June 1959) is an English actress and comedian. She is best known for her work with the
Early life
Lawrence was born Wendy Lawrence on 6 June 1959 in
She studied at Dartington College of Arts from 1978 to 1981, receiving a Bachelor of Arts honours degree.
Career
Stage
Her first acting role was as a young boy in a production of
Her work in comedy began as a result of starring in a Donmar Warehouse play called Songs For Stray Cats and hearing the audience invited to supply lines and ideas for improvisers appearing in after-show cabaret.
I played a manic depressive Glaswegian in the play and I'd seen Jim Sweeney on the circuit when I was a singer with Denise Black and The Kray Sisters. So I stayed behind and watched one night and then, because I knew Jim, I said could I try it because it looked brilliant and it was one of those things I found I could do. You suddenly find your little baby. After that I joined The Comedy Store Players and then this TV show called Whose Line Is It Anyway came along.[2]
She starred as the title character in the 1993 Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith production of the musical Moll Flanders.[3][4]
From 1994–96, Lawrence played Katharine in the
In 2008, Lawrence took the lead role in
Lawrence appeared as Madame Ranevskaya in a new version of Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, translated by Tom Stoppard, at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in autumn 2010.[9]
Film and television
Lawrence came to public attention as a regular guest on the
In 1991, she had her own short-lived comedy series Josie, also on Channel 4. The next year she starred in
In 2006, she starred alongside
Lawrence was in
In 2010, Lawrence appeared in series 25, episode 3 of
In 2012, she appeared in
Lawrence provided the voice of "The Brain" in the 2015 BBC Two quiz show Beat The Brain.[citation needed]
In 2016, she played Barbara, a synthetic marriage counsellor in series 2 of the Channel 4 television series Humans.[18]
In 2018, she played the lover of a married man portrayed by former "Whose Line" castmate John Sessions in the feature film Finding Your Feet.
In 2019, she played Agnes Nutter in the Amazon Prime series Good Omens.
In 2020, she appeared in the BBC television series Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators episode 3.5 "Thy Fury Spent" as Dr Helen Middleton.
Radio
Lawrence starred in three series of the improvised comedy series The Masterson Inheritance from 1993 to 1995 on BBC Radio 4 alongside Paul Merton, Phelim McDermott, Caroline Quentin, Lee Simpson and Jim Sweeney. Each episode comprised a different time period, and the plots were improvised based on suggestions from the studio audience. One unaired episode was produced and narrated by Lawrence, but it was released on the internet by Jim Sweeney on his official site.
The BBC Radio 4 series The Lawrence Sweeney Mix aired from 27 February to 20 March 2007 and was described as "Josie Lawrence and Jim Sweeney create improvised sketches from audience suggestions".[19] Series 2 began airing on 29 January 2008.[20]
She has starred in three other BBC Radio 4 comedy series: the science fiction comedy Married in 1996 and the dark comedy series Vent in 2006 as well as appearing in a Galton and Simpson Radio Playhouse 50th Anniversary recording of Clicquot et Fils alongside Richard Griffiths and Roger Lloyd-Pack that originally aired on 29 December 1998.
She played the role of 'Amanda' in the comedy series Reluctant Persuaders on BBC Radio 4.
Lawrence made her debut appearance in the long-running BBC Radio 4 show Just a Minute on 7 January 2008 and returned again in the following series.
In December 2014, Lawrence played the role of Agnes Nutter in an adaptation of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's book Good Omens for BBC Radio 4.[21] In 2019, she reprised the role for the Amazon/BBC television production of the book.
Audio books
Lawrence has lent her voice to several
Video games
She appeared on the 1992-1993 series of GamesMaster, playing Mad Dog McCree winning her challenge.
Charity
In 2003, Lawrence spent eight months walking across China, Cuba, Peru and Tanzania for Breakthrough Breast Cancer and helped to raise over £550,000.[5] She had to wear a knee brace throughout the trek because of damage to her anterior cruciate ligament.[22]
In 2005, she climbed
Lawrence and
Honours and personal life
Lawrence is single. In an interview with Jim Sweeney, she said of being asked why she is unmarried, "It's always the same: 'You're 41 and not married and no kids.' God, I'm so bored with it."[27] She resides in Hackney, London.[28][29] She has two cats, a long-haired ginger (Aynuk) and a black-and-white (Ayli), named after the Black Country characters Aynuk and Ayli, who feature prominently in jokes about Black Country dialect.[30] As a guest on QI she named David Attenborough her “God".
In 1994, Lawrence was awarded an honorary doctorate by Dartington College of Arts,[5] and she has since been awarded two more, an honorary doctorate of letters from the University of Wolverhampton in 2004[31] and in 2006 a doctorate by Aston University for "services to the entertainment industry."[32]
Sandwell Council named one of their road gritting trucks "Frozie Lawrence" in her honour.[33]
Filmography
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1979 | A Christmas Carol at Ford's Theatre | Mrs. Dilber/Fred's Younger Sister/Shopper No. 2 | TV movie |
1985 | Summer Season | Rachel | TV series (1 episode: "Rachel and the Roarettes") |
1986 | The American Way | Guerillette | |
1987 | Comedy Wavelength | TV series (1 episode: "Episode #1.5") | |
1988 | Campaign | Linda Prentice | TV series (4 episodes) |
Get Fresh | Presenter – Get The Joke | TV series (21 episodes) | |
1989 | Agatha Christie's Poirot | Ernestine Grant | TV series (1 episode: "The Third Floor Flat") |
Norbert Smith: A Life | Ruby Lawrence | TV movie | |
Alas Smith and Jones | TV series (1 episode: "The Untreated Version") | ||
1990 | Not with a Bang | Janet Wilkins | TV series (7 episodes) |
The Green Man | Lucy | TV series (3 episodes) | |
Jackson Pace: The Great Years | Ryveeta Tusk | TV series (6 episodes) | |
1991 | Enchanted April
|
Lottie Wilkins | |
1992 | A Word in Your Era | Cleopatra | TV series (1 episode: "Episode #1.7") |
1993 | The Comic Strip Presents... | Susie | TV series (1 episode: "Queen of the Wild Frontier") |
1994 | The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends | Pigwig | TV series (1 episode: "The Tale of Pigling Bland") |
Downwardly Mobile | Sophie | TV series (7 episodes) | |
Outside Edge
|
Maggie Costello | TV series (22 episodes: 1994–1996) Nominated — Best TV Comedy Actress
| |
1995 | Absolutely Fabulous | Cable TV Presenter | TV series (1 episode: "The End") |
Gogs | TV series (2 episodes: 1995–1996) | ||
Spot's Magical Christmas
|
Sally/Helen | Direct-to-video special | |
1996 | Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's... | Primrose/Sarah Tiptree | TV series (2 episodes: 1996–1997) |
The Adventures of Dawdle the Donkey | Dawdle | TV series (20 episodes: 1996–1997) | |
1997 | The Sin Eater | Kate | TV Short |
Spot and His Grandparents Go to the Carnival
|
Sally/Helen | Direct-to-video special | |
1998 | Star Hill Ponies | Various Characters | TV series |
Bill's New Frock | Bill's Mum | Short | |
Duck Patrol | Shemerlda | TV series (2 episodes) | |
Oi! Get Off Our Train | Mum/ Crane | Voice | |
1999 | Dog and Duck | Duck | Voice |
The Flint Street Nativity | Debbie Bennett/Mary | TV movie | |
2000 | Gogwana | Voice | TV Short |
Married 2 Malcolm | Natalie | ||
A Many Splintered Thing | Camilla | TV series (6 episodes) | |
Fat Friends | Julia Fleshman | TV series (8 episodes: 2000–2002) | |
2003 | Keen Eddie | Liese Kohl | TV series (1 episode: "Achtung, Baby") |
Where the Heart Is
|
Rita Shepherd | TV series (1 episode: "A Time to Dance") | |
2004 | Holby City | Avril Coulter | TV series (1 episode: "Out of Control") |
2005 | Down to Earth | Shirley Potts | TV series (1 episode: "Trouble 'n' Strife") |
2006 | Agatha Christie's Marple | Hannah Beresford | TV series (1 episode: "By the Pricking of My Thumbs") |
Acorn Antiques the Musical: Triplet Trauma | Bonnie | Video Short | |
Acorn Antiques the Musical: Mrs Overall's Return | Bonnie | Video Short | |
Acorn Antiques: The Musical | Donna/Bonnie | Video | |
The Complete Guide to Parenting | Phoebe Huntley | TV series (5 episodes) | |
2007 | The Last Detective | Gillian Langham | TV series (1 episode: "The Man from Montevideo") |
Robin Hood | Matilda | TV series (1 episode: "Ducking and Diving") | |
The Old Curiosity Shop | Mrs. Jiniwin | TV movie | |
Skins | Liz Jenkins | TV series (3 episodes: 2007–2008) | |
2009 | Minder | Delilah Daley | TV series (1 episode: "Till Debt Do Us Part") |
Eastenders | Manda Best | TV series (49 episodes: 2009–2010) | |
2010 | Round Ireland with a Fridge
|
Sandra | |
Casualty | Janet Haines | TV series (1 episode: "Chaos Theory") | |
Handle with Care | Karen | Short | |
The Fridge Interviews | The Lady Fridge | Short | |
Mam | Reenie | Short | |
Doctors | Cathy Dayman/Katrina Kidd/Susie Vine | TV series (3 episodes: 2010–2014) | |
2013 | Common Ground | Fiona | TV series (1 episode: "Rupert") |
No Prisoners | Louise | Short | |
Wizards vs Aliens | Madeline Raven | TV series (2 episodes: "The Curse of Crowe", parts 1 & 2) | |
2014 | Bonobo | Anita | |
Jonathan Creek | Denise | TV series (1 episode: "The Curse of the Bronze Lamp") | |
Looking for Vi | Evelyn Hawthorne/Vi Cardle | Short | |
2015 | The Kennedys | Miss Parsons | TV series (1 episode: "Valentine") |
2016 | Humans | Barbara | TV series (2 episodes) |
Stella
|
Val | TV series (1 episode: "Christmas Special") | |
2018 | Finding Your Feet | Pamela | post-production |
2019 | Good Omens | Agnes Nutter | TV series |
2020 | Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators | Dr. Helen Middleton | TV series (1 episode: "Thy Fury Spent") |
2023 | Midsomer Murders | Prof. Lorna McIntosh | TV series (1 episode: "Claws Out") |
2024 | Father Brown | Christine Kipley | TV series (1 episode: "The Dead of Night") |
Appearances
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1988 | Friday Night Live
|
Herself/Various | TV series |
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
|
Herself | TV series (53 episodes: 1988–1997) | |
1989 | Hysteria 2! | Herself | TV special |
Agatha Christie's Poirot | Mrs Grant | TV series (1 episode: "The Third Floor Flat") | |
The South Bank Show | Rachel | TV series documentary (1 episode: "Ben Elton") | |
A Night of Comic Relief 2 | Herself | TV special | |
1991 | Aspel & Company
|
Herself | TV series (1 episode: "Episode #8.12") |
Josie | Herself/Various | TV series (6 episodes) | |
Forty Minutes
|
Narrator | TV series documentary (1 episode: "Boob in Toyland") | |
1993 | Gamesmaster | Herself | TV series (1 episode: "Episode #2.22") |
Arena | T (voice) | TV series (1 episode: "Radio Night") | |
1994 | Paul Merton's Palladium Story | Game Show Contestant Mrs. Simpson | TV mini-series documentary (1 episode: "Act Two: The Television Years") |
An Audience with Ken Dodd | Herself | TV special | |
1996 | Happy Birthday Shirley | Herself | TV movie (uncredited) |
1999 | Never Mind the Buzzcocks | Herself | TV series (1 episode: "Episode #5.8") |
American versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway?
|
Herself | TV series (2 episodes) | |
2001 | The Lesley Garrett Show | Herself | TV series (1 episode: "Notes from the Heart") |
2002 | A Week in the West End | Herself | TV series (1 episode: "Episode #1.5") |
2003 | Kelly
|
Herself | TV series (1 episode: "21 March 2003") |
Today with Des and Mel | Herself | TV series (1 episode: "4 December 2003") | |
Loose Women | Herself | TV series (2 episodes: 2003–2004) | |
2004 | QI | Herself | TV series (1 episode: "Bats") |
2005 | The Wright Stuff | Guest Panelist/Herself | TV series (2 episodes: 2005–2012 |
2008 | The Big Questions | Herself | TV series (1 episode: "Episode #1.16") |
2009 | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
|
Herself | TV series (1 episode: "31 January 2009") |
The Paul O'Grady Show | Herself | TV series (1 episode: "13 March 2009") | |
Around the World in 80 Days | Herself | TV mini-series (2 episodes) | |
2010 | The Sweeney: The Life and Work of Jim Sweeney | Herself | documentary |
The Story Behind the Fridge | Herself | video documentary short | |
2011 | 24 Hour Panel People
|
Herself | TV mini-series (1 episode: "Episode #1.5") |
2012 | Just a Minute | Herself | Radio series (1 episode: "Episode #1.5") |
Would I Lie to You?
|
Herself | TV series (1 episode: "Episode #6.7") | |
BBC Proms | Herself | TV series (1 episode: "Prom 48: Weber, Mahler & Tchaikovsky") |
References
- ^ "Josie Lawrence : Stages of Half Moon". www.stagesofhalfmoon.org.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ a b The Northern Echo 16 June 2005
- ^ "Moll Flanders – Musical by Styles and Leigh". The Guide to Musical Theatre. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ^ Taylor, Paul (30 April 1993). "Josie Lawrence at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith". The Independent. "It's possible, too, that the excellent Josie Lawrence, who has no problem convincing you of Moll's allure when young, should be helped to show more signs of age when our heroine has supposedly lost her beauty and turned to thieving. In these episodes, the social comment would stick harder coming from someone who looked superannuated rather than like an anachronistic advertisement for HRT."
- ^ a b c "Josie Lawrence".
- ^ "Lawrence treads West End boards", BBC News, 11 May, 2001. Retrieved 11 February 2014
- ^ Express & Star 5 January 2008
- ^ The Times Online 23 June 2008.
- ^ "What's on".
- ^ "A Many Splintered Thing (2000)". BFI. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ Mike Joyce. "Dog and Duck". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2013. (Press Release)
- ^ Josie Lawrence joins EastEnders
- ^ Green, Kris (16 November 2009). "Josie Lawrence to leave EastEnders". Digital Spy. United Kingdom. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
- ^ "WWTBAM Celebrity Special Wk06". ITV Press Centre. 29 January 2009. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
- ^ BBC One – Casualty, Series 25, Chaos Theory, accessed 10 May 2012
- IMDb
- ^ "Doctors: Series 14 – A Suburban Affair" BBC website, accessed 10 May 2012
- ^ Ling, Thomas (31 October 2016). "Viewers fell in love with the wrong character in Humans last night". Radio Times. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ^ BBC Lawrence Sweeney Mix Page
- ^ Jim Sweeney's official site
- ^ Hemley, Matthew (5 September 2014). "BBC lines up adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's Good Omens". The Stage. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ^ Orthopaedics.co.uk
- ^ Sunfield School Patrons Archived 1 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Halesowen News, 28 April 2008 – 'Rep VIP night pulls in £3.5k'
- ^ Stourbridge News article on Josie Lawrence
- ^ "BBC - Press Office - Network TV Programme Information BBC Week 46 Around the World in 80 Days feature".
- ^ "Josie Lawrence and Jim Sweeney - Eve magazine interview - Comedy Store Players web site".
- ^ Murphy, Siobhan (27 October 2009). "Josie Lawrence". United Kingdom: Metro. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
- ^ Wills, Colin (30 July 2000). "I'm convinced dad is watching over me". Sunday Mirror. United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 28 March 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
- ^ BBC – Black Country Jokes
- ^ Josie Lawrence honoured by Uni
- ^ "Aston awards doctorate to award winning actress". Aston University. 13 July 2006. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ We named a gritting truck after local actress Josie Lawrence https://www.facebook.com/sandwellcouncil/photos/a.165528153494848/3682714328442862/?type=3
External links
- Josie Lawrence at IMDb
- Josie Lawrence on Stages of Half Moon